The Wednesday Wigeon No.47

Trisha of Makeup Files tagged me to do this fun ‘Where the Magic Happens’ post, which asks for a picture and description of my office/workspace. Unfortunately, my laptop and I are not on speaking terms right now, as it has been behaving atrociously for the past I-don’t-even-remember-how-long. Granted, it’s 5 years old, but it’s died 6 times already today, and that is not an exaggeration. So I went to my laptop and I said, “You just lost your picture privileges for the day.”

Now we both know who’s boss.

Besides, where the magic really happens for me is in the living room. Which I have been converting into a makeshift studio over the past couple of weeks (this delights my family to no end). I decided to take you through my photo setup instead, which is still a work in progress.

On the top, I have a pile of mirrors and my ‘shooting glasses.’ I wear these when I take product photos, since my wimpy eyes can’t handle the light. Apparently I also have a slight masochistic streak because I always forget they’re tinted, and freak out when I press the ‘play’ button to inspect my pictures.

Omg, why is everything green?!

And yet I continue giving myself panic attacks on a daily basis, instead of wearing a pair of regular sunglasses. I’m not so bright.

I use clothespins and a wooden dowel to hold up the seamless (infinity sweep background, or in less confusing terms, a big piece of white paper).

My light source, which the school kindly let me borrow:

A diffuser I made with a plastic tablecloth from the 99 cents store:

And there you have it! My shooting setup, where the magic happens. Or where the magic will happen once I finish putting it together.

Here’s my previous magic box, which I made after I ruined this one. It’s three pieces of posterboard taped together, and a fourth one which plops onto the top (I got tired of taping things). Plus the seamless, which creates that nice infinity effect inside. I only used this for a week, but then I decided to shoot outside of a light tent instead. Oh well, it was a good character building exercise:

Curious minds want to know, where does the magic happen for you? Tell me know where you work your magic, whether it’s your office, your lightbox, or your vanity. And if you’d like to take some pictures or dedicate a post to this, even better! I love looking at fellow bloggers’ workspaces.

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18 thoughts on “The Wednesday Wigeon No.47”

I used to use a giant piece of white paper for my white background, but now, I’d rather have some color/texture in the background because it a.) takes less time b.) is more fun and lively c.) not as ‘formal’. I don’t want to be so serious/OCD about my blog/product photos anymore. I used to get so angry at my camera because there was a slight edge/non-white area that I couldn’t crop out LOL

Your product photos do look very fun and lively! I am admittedly OCD about product pictures and do get fed up once in awhile, but in the end I always enjoy it. I don’t think ‘fun’ is the right word for me to be using, but it’s so…absorbing? It’s something I like to do, or else I wouldn’t go through all that trouble.

My quiche turned out very well, thank you! I’m excited to eat it again for lunch tomorrow wheeee

Mmmmm, quiche!
Love your setup! Mine is in the dining room by the window. I’m pretty sure my neighbours think I’m a loon taking pictures of my eyes and lips all the time. Come to think of it, most of the time their blinds are pulled down now, hmmmm….

I wish I had a nice floor to ceiling window in this room, but the lighting is all wonky so I have to rely on artificial light. Forget neighbors, my FAMILY thinks I’m a loon when I’m walking around the house snapping pictures of only one made-up eye. Let’s be loons together, deal? :P

It’s really not necessary, but I think it’s kind of cool that you can create awesome pictures at home with some paper and tape. And there are days when I want the magic to happen and it doesn’t happen…which is not very convenient. So maybe convenient magic is the wiser path :P

Thanks for the tip on Purpose! I’ve never seen it before, probably because I wasn’t looking and am generally oblivious of my surroundings LOL. Will keep an eye out, I need a new cleanser.

It took me a few months to get off my butt and make a new lightbox because I was all urghh urghhh work, but I made that thing in an hour and it’s convenient to have on hand. If you want something that takes even less work, you could always just get a regular cardboard box (that’s what I did for my first one) and cut holes in the side, or paste over the inside with paper.

You pay so much attention to your set up no wonder your photos come out so nicely! I just grumble about the weather ruining my photos! I actually take product pics on a chest of drawers in my bedroom as it's right next to my bay window. When the weather is nice and the sunlight isn't streaming in too strongly it is perfect for picture taking, especially since my chests of drawers are white.

My boyfriend suggested that he make me a lightbox but I can't be bothered because I know I won' have anywhre to put it when I'm not using it….

HAHAHAH that is the first time I’ve ever heard ‘quiche me up!’ You get a virtual slice just for saying that :P

If you can get nice, natural light then there’s really no need to go to all this DIY-ing trouble! The room I’m shooting in right now just has the worst light ever, so I need to shoot at night to get good pictures. And how convenient that your chest of drawers are white, I think your pictures look really nice btw :)

My set up is super lame, but for the time being it works (I guess?). I keep blaming my crappy camera, and until I get a new one (which is actually going to happen soon-ish) I will continue to blame it rather than actually adjust MY behaviors to make my photos better. LAMER!

On a side note – you are just one freakin’ cool chick, you know that? Everything that comes out of your mouth (or…written down, yeah) just makes me feel like – damn. That girl is cool. Seriously. Just sayin’ :)

Ohh how exciting! Do you have a specific camera in mind? And LOL best course of action ever, I blame EVERYTHING when I get frustrated ‘oh the moon is disrupting my light, oh the nonexistent breeze is making my camera shake, this is obviously not my fault…’

And that is the sweetest comment anyone has ever left me, thank you! I think you’re pretty cool too :D Foreal